Aprilia Shiver

[Ocean1]

Rather than changing your bike...

[Hitcher]

Thinking about my Shiver still makes me Shiver. Mr Aprilia has lost the plot with these in latter models. Apart from the New Zealand distributor, they're had to fault. The problems I had with mine got sorted reasonably smartly by Aprilia corporation. Remember that the 750 in these was Aprilia's first venture into building their own engines. It's a ferkin peach. Probably the best v-twin I've come across. The gearing is a bit tall but nothing that can't be got used to. Gearbox is pretty darned good. Hydraulic clutch that's nicely weighted. Great headlight on both low and high beam. Brakes are outstanding. So is the build quality and finish. Tank is 15 litres but the Shiver bops along at about 20km per litre. No shit. Rear suspension is a bit underdone. Ergonomics on the first Shivers were exceptional until Mr Aprilia got bored and decided to relocate the pegs. The seat is nice and user-friendly. I really miss the location and function of the headlight switch. Three engine modes -- gutless, pointless and just lovely thank-you. The ride-by-wire fuelling is beautifully done. The Shiver won my heart, irrespective of other things that happened during our 40,000km together.

Better bike than a Gladius? Yes. And they're not that much more expensive out of the crate. However spending the difference on the Gladius upgrading front and rear suspension would run them pretty close, as Mr Deuce has previously noted.

AF1 Racing in Texas are just brilliant to deal with. Triumph New Zealand Ltd are at the complete opposite end of the spectrum. If you're buying new, ask the dealer if they'll drop $2,000 off the price on the basis you'll forego any claims you may make under the two-year factory warranty and see what they say. Tell them it's a win for them too in the case that anything goes wrong and they have to repair in a timely manner or refund you the purchase price of the bike. Unless Triumph New Zealand has recently had a change of heart and decided that they now give a shit about what the purchasers of the bikes they import think about them and their products.